


Truely Gone

by SweetAsCherryPie



Category: Red vs. Blue
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-05-25
Updated: 2014-05-25
Packaged: 2018-01-26 12:12:25
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 951
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1687919
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SweetAsCherryPie/pseuds/SweetAsCherryPie
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Caboose finds that he has to deal with something he never had to before.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Truely Gone

"Donut!"

 

Caboose's head whipped up at the sound if Simmons' scream and began to run towards the source of the sound, his body ramming into as many Tex clones as he could.

 

"Private Pastry?" Caboose dropped down next to the fallen soldier as the sound of shots and dropping robot bodies filled the air. "This is not nap time!"

 

Donut's hands trembled as he reached for the clasps on his helmet. A soft hiss indicated that Donut was removing his helmet.

 

"Put the fucking helmet back on, Donut!" Simmons commanded as he fired at a charging Tex clone. "Now!"

 

Donut ignored him and turned his head towards Caboose, forcing a smile.

 

"Commander Poppin' Fresh, you're hurt!"

 

A strange red liquid was oozing out of a gash in Donut's armour. Caboose recognised it; he had seen a lot of it when Church had accidentally shot off his toe.

 

"I'm fine, Caboose," Donut gasped, one of his hands moving to cover his wound. His face was screwed up in what must have been agony.

 

All at once the clones dropped around them but Caboose didn't seem to notice or care.

 

"Do you want a cookie?" Caboose asked with a smile. "Whenever I hurt myself my mom gave me a cookie."

 

Donut laughed and a small trail of red fell from his lips. Grif and Sarge joined them, both sharing a quick look.

 

"I'm okay, Caboose, I promise."

 

Caboose felt someone place a hand on his shoulder but he ignored it. "Caboose will you promise me something?" Donut whispered, his hand searching for Caboose's shaking hand.

 

"Promise me you'll be careful?"

 

Caboose nodded and held onto Donut's hand tightly. "Okay!"

 

Donut's eyes fluttered and Sarge leant down to whisper something into Donut's ear. He nodded and let his eyes close fully, his breaths becoming laboured.

 

"Come on, Caboose," Wash's voice rang out from behind him. "Let's go outside."

 

Caboose leapt up with a grin, allowing Washington to lead him out. "Okay!"

 

He was almost out of the door when he turned around and shouted, "have a good nap time, Lieutenant Biscuit!"

 

Wash let out a pained sigh and continues to lead Caboose outside.

 

"Caboose? Are you okay?"

 

Caboose nodded. "Yeeaaahhh, Donut's just sleeping. He'll wake up soon."

 

Wash shook his head and held onto Caboose's arm. "No, he's not sleeping." He hesitated and gently pulled Caboose down so that they both sat on the floor. "Caboose, he's...dead."

 

"Oh."

 

Caboose paused and looked down to the floor. "When is he coming back then?"

 

Wash pulled off his helmet and frowned. "He's not."

 

"Yes he will! He always does!"

 

"I don't understand?" Wash asked. "What do you mean?"

 

"Every time Donut is dead he comes back, it just takes a while." Caboose nodded with his own words. "I just have to wait and..." His face scrunched up as he thought. "And be careful! I have to be careful!"

 

Wash shook his head. "He wasn't dead those times, just injured."

 

"Oh." Caboose played with a twig on the ground. "When will he be a ghost then? Red Sergeant will build him a cool robot body like he did for Church!"

 

"Church wasn't a ghost he was an AI, that's why he had a robot body."

 

"Right!"

 

"Are you sure, Caboose? Do you understand now?" Wash made sure Caboose was looking at him. "Do you get why Donut isn't coming back?"

 

"Yes." Caboose nodded once and dropped his stick.

 

"I want you to tell me, so I know you understand."

 

"Donut is an AI and he's on a secret mission so he can't come back for a while." Caboose said, tracing circles into the sand. "And it's okay because I will be very very careful...aaand blue!"

 

Wash was about to correct him but he heard a soft crunch of feet on leaves behind him.

 

"Caboose," Sarge grunted as he moved to stand next to him, hand resting on the shoulder nearest to him. "Donut is gone for good. He's not coming back."

 

His voice shook slightly and he tried to clear it with a cough.

 

"He's not a robot or a ghost or sleeping, Son. He's gone to a better place but he's not allowed to come back."

 

Caboose shook his head. "No, Private Pastry promised me he would never leave me. He will come back soon."

 

"Caboose, I would give anything to bring him back, trust me," Sarge sighed, removing his hand. "I know it hurts but you have to accept it. He's...he's dead."

 

The words floated around in the light breeze as Caboose sat there still and silent.

 

"We want to take him back to Red Base," Sarge said to Wash, breaking the silence. "He deserves better than this hell hole."

 

Wash nodded. "I'll help you move him-"

 

"No, we got him."

 

Simmons and Grif walked out of the facility, the limp body of Donut between them. It seemed that Grif was finally putting effort into something. They carried the body to the warthog and carefully placed him in the back seat.

 

"Caboose?" Wash helped him up. "Are you okay?"

 

Caboose shook his head and removed his helmet. Tears streamed down his cheeks, hitting his chest plate. "No. I want Donut."

 

"But you can't. I'm so sorry, Caboose."

 

Caboose cast a glance at the lightish red armour in the Red's jeep.

 

"I'll be careful," Caboose whispered to himself, turning around and following Wash to their own jeep.

 

Caboose wasn't sure where the "better place" was or why Donut wasn't allowed to come back for him but he knew one thing.

 

Donut wasn't here right now but as long as Caboose remembered him and kept his promise then he would never truly be gone.

  
  
  
  
  



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